Editing a Live Survey

The survey editor allows you to edit a survey that is live and actively collecting data. The process involves setting up a temporary version of the live survey that will allow you to make the appropriate edits. Once edits are complete, you can trigger the edits to be saved and merged into the live survey, still maintaining any data you have collected to date. The live edit mode will also maintain the original link, allowing you to continue to field as normal.

1: Editing a Live Survey

To edit a live survey, locate your project in the research hub and access the project controls menu by clicking on the menu icon, found next to the project name. Then select "Edit LIVE Survey."

A message explains the risks involved in editing a live survey. Read this carefully and note the changes that should be avoided. To proceed, click "ok."

Once you click OK a temporary copy of your survey will appear. The warning message shown below will appear at the top of the survey editor workspace.

Make your changes and test them in the temporary version of the survey.

2: Tips on What to Edit

Edits that you might perform:

Update question text

Fix spelling errors

Add a new question

Add new rows

Modify skip patterns

More!

Changes to avoid:

Do not modify question labels of existing questions. Any existing labels must match those in the original survey because they are used for maintaining any data that was collected.

Do not delete questions

Do not delete answer options

Do not change question types

Do not delete sample sources

Do not delete named conditions

2.1: Editing Quotas

It is possible to edit the quotas in a live survey in the temporary directory (which is later moved to the live version when you re-launch the survey). You can now add and remove quotas, add rows and columns and change the logic of a row or column. You cannot change the title (sheet name) of a quota that exists in the live project.

Keep in mind that editing quotas in a live survey can change the flow of the survey and invalidate logic for respondents that have already entered, or even result in loss of data. Proceed with caution.

3: Relaunching the Survey

Once the changes are complete and you are ready to move them to the survey that is live, open the "Distribute" menu and select "Save to Live Survey."

Confirm the survey settings and click "Launch."

Once you click "Launch" the system will test the newly modified survey for errors. If the survey passes, then the changes will be pushed to replace the existing live survey. During this process the original survey link will be maintained, as will the data collected to date.